Aoife, 20, Preston

Being a young Catholic is a wonderful rollercoaster ride, that can be fantastic and terrifying at the same time. When I look back at my faith journey over the past couple of years, I can’t help but be astounded by the amazing things God has done in my life. Starting university can be really scary! It’s not easy being thrown into a flat with people you’ve never met before, in a strange city, and on top of all that it’s the first time you’ve lived alone. So on my first Sunday evening at university, I decided to go to Mass at the Catholic chaplaincy. I thought that at least having something familiar would make me feel a bit better.

The strange thing is, even though I started going to Mass each Sunday out of habit, I soon got to the point where it was no longer a comfort blanket. I wanted to go to receive the Eucharist. I could feel something inside me drawing me to Mass, and I even started going during the week too.

It was this pull of the Eucharist that has really helped me to strengthen my faith. Receiving Christ each day has made me feel much more comfortable to start questioning what I believe, and finding out more. I’m not using it as a comfort blanket anymore, so I feel free to explore much deeper. Of course I have times when I really struggle to be Catholic in such a secular society. I have times when the views and comments of others make me question what I believe. However, I’m lucky to have a fantastic chaplain to talk to, and the strength that Christ’s Real Presence gives me, to help me grow from a child’s faith into something that can support me for the rest of my life.